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Oregon's Dry Side: Exploring East of the Cascade Crest

By Alan D. St. John

Successfully meshes stunning photography and interesting narrative ... an invaluable tool.

Southern Oregon Mail Tribune

Come explore the sights, sounds, scents, and stories of Oregon's dry side, the stunning, vast, arid East, which is the state's true West. Three extensive, flexible driving tours lead to the volcanic mountains and mysterious fossils, vanilla-scented ponderosa pines, painted desert colors, wild creatures large and small, rugged wildflowers, remote outposts, and rich history reaching back to prehistoric times. Your expert guide is Alan D. St. John, naturalist, photographer, native Oregonian, and lifetime dry-side explorer who shares it all, including — and this is generous indeed — some of his own little-known favorite places. Also a broad field guide to eastern Oregon, this treasure of a book shows the region's flora and fauna and dramatic geology in gorgeous photographs.

Filed under: exploration, pacific northwest, travel, field guide, geology, history, local, native plants, walking

Format: Paperback
Pages: 324 pp.
Book dimensions: 7 x 9¼ in. (180 x 235 mm.)
Images: 298 color photos, 18 b/w photos, 1 b/w drawing, 5 color maps
ISBN-10: 0881928291
ISBN-13: 9780881928297

Media reviews

"Neither an insider's travel guide, nor an informative natural history, nor an engaging portrait of the contemporary culture and economic landscape in central and eastern Oregon: It's all of the above."

—Camela Raymond, Portland Monthly

"Successfully meshes stunning photography and interesting narrative ... an invaluable tool."

—Steve Dieffenbacher, Southern Oregon Mail Tribune

"[St. John's] descriptions of flowers, trees, geology, wildlife, and other critters are greatly enhanced by excellent photographs."

—Lee Juillerat, Klamath Falls Herald and News

"[St. John] includes natural history with geology, nature, travel tips, and local lore in an easy style against an awesome array of photos, mostly his own."

—John Terry, Oregonian

"Beautifully illustrated with striking photographs and historical reproductions, and St. John's description of Oregon's dry landscapes is fascinating."

—Keith R. Benson, Pacific Northwest Quarterly

"Highlights include plenty of cultural and natural history, extensive checklists of plants and animals, and more than 300 color photographs."

—Jim Witty, Bend Bulletin

"Written and photographed by native Oregonian naturalist and photographer Alan D. St. John, the book is truly a labor of Stetson spirit and tumbleweed love. ... [It] captures the sage-scented lifestyle, the granite and ice, the tule dingles, the pine-scented paradises and sense of spaciousness so many of us treasure."

—Jeff Petersen, La Grande Observer

About the author

Alan D. St. John

Alan D. St. John is a native Oregonian, naturalist, and photographer. His work has appeared in National Geographic, Natural History, Outdoor Photographer, The New York Times, and elsewhere.